The Army's Air Force and Strange Vehicles

The Army used these light planes, know as the "Bird Dog" for artillery spotting and delivering supplies and personnel.

This helicopter is the kind used in Korea and seen on the TV show "MASH".

Helicopters got bigger and bigger.

This is the famous Huey, used in Viet Nam and for years afterwards.  Versions are still in use by the Army today.

The Army developed many other vehicles, too.  Some very useful, others not so successful.  Here is the mechanical "Mule".

Supply convoys driving on roads in Viet Nam were protected by heavily armored trucks like this.  This truck is an actual veteran of the war.

 

Other vehicles were strange and not so successful.  Wall E was not developed by the Army.

 

However the "Goer" was and it didn't work out too well.  I see a family resemblance, maybe Wall E's father?

This was a heavy lift helicopter called the Mojave.  It could carry two Jeeps and about a dozen soldiers, but didn't last too long in service.  It had two clam shell doors under the cockpit for loading.

This was a ground effect flying craft.  It wasn't a very reliable or useful vehicle, except maybe if you were trying to cut your lawn.  It had giant propeller blades that came out the bottom.

The Army's second attempt at a ground effect vehicle.  They actually built two of these for testing.  The result was, this design didn't work either, but I'll give it extra credit for styling.

Here is the front view:

And the rear view.  Great taillights!

Probably the strangest "vehicle" in the collection, a hydraulic four legged walking machine.  I haven't got a clue what the Army was thinking here...;c)

This was just a quick look at the Army Transportation Museum at Fort Eustis, it is a very interesting stop if you're in the Newport News, VA area.  It takes several hours to see and best of all, it's FREE!

Thanks for visiting and please feel free to leave a comment.